About

Since we’ll be working together to create a beautiful personalized hand painted for your home or as a gift, we should get to know each other. A little about me: Canadian Canoe Paddle Artist Erin Minacs. I was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. Early on, I discovered a natural drive to make art and for it to better the lives of others.

As a child my love of the outdoors and art collided at summer camp in Northern Ontario. There’s something about that first week away from your parents, surrounded by new friends and the wilderness that inspires creativity! After receiving a Bachelor's of Fine Arts from York University in Toronto, I went on to attend George Brown College for a certificate in Graphic Design and Print. Working for a few years as a designer within the Toronto Hospitality and Car Sales industries, I began to feel stifled by the city and moved to Petawawa, Ontario, returning my focus to art that enriched my own life, as well as the lives of others.

Inspired by living on the Ottawa River and my time at the cottage in Bobcaygeon, Ontario I began painting canoe paddles with lake scenes and cottages from photos given to me by customers. Fusing landscape imagery with a paddle as the canvas, seemed like a perfect pairing, for the rustic decor that was just becoming popular at the time. As a coffee lover I spend many mornings on the dock taking in the landscape, sketching new ideas and seeking the perfect cup of Joe. I find inspiration for my designs in many places. Although living in Canada, just walking out the front door is a catalyst for creativity. Any free time I can wrangle is spent with my partner J and Shar Pei Dex, or out paddle boarding and searching for the tastiest coffee beans out there.

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